How Do I Go On?
by corr2win90
Summary: Set a couple days after Chino kills Tony, Maria is standing at the balcony where she met Tony after the dance, grieving her fallen lover. She wishes she could just die, leave her broken life. An unexpected enemy-turned-friend comes to consult her. One-shot.


**This story takes place a couple days after Tony has been killed by Chino. Maria is sitting alone, clutching Tony's old Jet jacket. The story is also in her point of view. NOTE: I DO NOT OWN _WEST SIDE STORY._**

_He's dead. He's dead._

_I wish I could be dead with him._

At least if I was dead I wouldn't have to face his presence every day.

The Jets have tried to console me, but I wouldn't let them in. I know, if anybody, Riff would've been comforting, but...

_He's dead too._

Him and my brother Bernardo. Both dead.

_Why did it have to end like this?_

I don't even have Anita to comfort me. She's still racked by Bernardo's death, staying with Consuela and Teresita. I'm all by myself, standing at the balcony where...

Me and Tony met after the dance.

I start crying again, clutching Tony's jacket, wishing he was here with me. I wish I could just die, pull the trigger Chino used on Tony myself...

They won't let me though.

Rosalia says I have more to live for, more to hope for in America. Living and working in the bridal shop with Anita. Growing up. Being happy.

_I'll never be happy again without Tony._

I keep on crying, watching the tears race down onto Tony's jacket. All I want is to go, to fade from this useless life. Without my Tony, I can't live. Without my Tony, I can't...

"Maria?"

I whip my head around, prepared for the worst. A person emerges from the shadows. A girl, battered and bruised, with a tattered Jets jacket on.

_Anybodys._

She walks towards me, carefully taking her time, knowing my fragile state of mind. She stops a couple paces short of me, and cautiously looks me in the eyes.

"What do you want, Anybodys?" I ask, still crying.

She moves closer. "Action sent me to see how you were doing. The Jets...we're planning a funeral for Tony. He wanted me to ask you..."

I start crying even harder, not wanting to face Tony's dead body in a casket. Anybodys comes closer and hugs me, comforting me as I cry. Finally, the tears stop and she pulls back, her hands on my shoulders.

"Here," she says, sitting me down. She sits next to me, taking my hand. "Let it out."

I hang my head. "I just...don't know how to go on. Without Tony here with me, I just...don't know what to do. He was everything. He was...my love. Your leader. What happens now? Is the fighting even over, Anybodys? How do we know if the bloodshed is done?" I yell at her.

Anybodys stares at me, taking my rage and sadness in. I sigh heavily and lean back. "I just...don't know if I can take it anymore, Anybodys. Everytime I see one of you, it reminds me of him."

She nods, and squeezes my hand. "I know, Maria. It's hard on us too. We're still grieving over Riff as well. I know Action tries not to show it, but he's torn inside. He lost his two best friends, and it's killing him." She looks out, tears forming in her eyes as well. "He has to fill the spot of the dead."

She looks back at me, now crying like I was. "But, I know one thing for sure, Maria. The bloodshed is done. I know for a fact neither gang wants to see anyone else die. We're done fighting."

"Are you sure?" I say, hesitating.

She thinks for a moment. "Yes. I know, it still sounds weird, but yeah. Especially with all that's happened."

I look away, fiddling with Tony's jacket. "Anybodys...are we, like friends now?"

She laughs. "I guess you could call it that." She pats my shoulder, and gets serious again. "Just know that the Jets have your back, Maria. I know we did really bad things to you and Anita in the past, but...you can trust us now."

She helps me up, and we hug. "Thanks, Anybodys. Thank you...for everything."

"No problem, Maria," she says, dusting off her jacket. "And just remember...you have us now. You have a reason to live." She walks away, back into the shadows.

I lean over the balcony again, smoothing out Tony's jacket. _You have a reason to live._

_I'll live for you, Tony. Wherever you are._


End file.
